Mitt Romney delivered a “major” speech on foreign policy on Monday, although that designation of import comes from Romney’s own campaign, and hardly seems warranted. Romney added little to his previous positions–most of them fairly similar to President Obama’s, and spelled out as recently as late July (that one was also a “major” address)–on trouble spots like Afghanistan, Israel, Syria and Iran. What’s new here is the frame. This was Romney’s most explicit effort yet to link the recent anti-American protests in the Arab world–and the murder of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, in Benghazi–to his thesis that Obama has allowed America to appear dangerously weak to the outside world. Here’s the crux:

The attacks against us in Libya were not an isolated incident. They were accompanied by anti-American riots in nearly two dozen other countries, mostly in the Middle East, but also in Africa and Asia. Our embassies have been attacked. Our flag has been burned. Many of our citizens have been threatened and driven from their overseas homes by vicious mobs shouting “Death to America.” These mobs hoisted the black banner of Islamic extremism over American embassies on the anniversary of 9/11.

As the dust settles, as the murdered are buried, Americans are asking how this happened, how the threats we face have grown worse and what this calls on America to do. These are the right questions, and I’ve come here today to offer a larger perspective on these tragic recent events and to share with you and to share with all Americans my vision for a freer, more prosperous and more peaceful world.

Romney’s chief complaint is that Obama has failed to “lead,” and has provided unreliable support to our “allies,” though by “allies” he really just seems to mean Israel. In tangible terms, Romney’s idea of providing more leadership mainly seems to consists of spending more on defense. “I’ll roll back President Obama’s deep and arbitrary cuts to our national defense that would devastate our military,” Romney said. It’s unclear whether Romney is referring here to the automatic Pentagon spending cuts that are part of last year’s budget sequestration deal between Obama and Congress, which certainly would cut deep if enacted (though they probably won’t be), or the more modest reductions Obama has been implementing over the past few years with the support of, among others, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, no left-winger he. If it’s the former, blaming Obama alone, without mentioning Congress, is highly unfair. If it’s the latter, calling the cuts “deep and arbitrary” and devastating to the military is a real stretch.

As for leadership, it’s a complicated question. There’s probably a case to be made that Obama has made errors in his management of the Arab Spring, particularly when it comes to personal diplomacy in the Middle East. But that’s not Romney’s case, which seems based on rhetorical swagger and affirmations of American greatness and determination. His specific prescriptions for dealing with the Arab world seem limited to providing more support (though not actually direct military action) for Syrian rebels “who share our values” and conditioning American aid to Egypt. But for all his talk of leadership, Romney skips over many of the toughest questions, like dealing with nuclear-armed Pakistan (mentioned once in passing today) and what a post-2014 Afghanistan should look like once U.S.-led combat operations are over.

Ultimately, then, this is a political speech. Just as Romney’s last light-on-specifics national security address came off primarily as an effort to make headlines about national security leaks, this one mostly seems like a renewed effort to hang the recent anti-American unrest and violence in the Arab world around the president’s neck. It may well be an effective political attack, but there’s nothing very “major” about it.

America Wake up!As an Asian American, who lived here for 25 years, never saw this much mainstream media deception going on ganged with obama. Worse, most of the Americans were brainwashed and blinded being victims of division and hatred by him and minorities. No matter what are your beliefs ( gay, abortionist, anti-conservative whatever), can't you see who is bad, flaky person or who is respectable person? Don't you see that a leader of this great nation should have to have some decent quality as a president? You voted someone who is notoriously dishonest with no experience based on only his sweet talking talent skill as your president. So you have what you deserve: worse economy, loosing more individual freedom, weaker standing internationally than last 4 years ago. This guy's tactics are always avoid straight, honest answers, but speaking flattery confusing word to ears, but if you listen to him carefully, he has no clear points or plans at all .On the top of it, he says I saved you from the worst depression. How? and where is the empirical ( scientific datas, evidence)? Always attack other side calling names and tricks, didn't meet any cabinet members for two and half years of his presidency, but only works with secretly elected, unconstitutional czars? Playing golf more than 100 times for last 4years, spending more than $360,000 per average daily vacation cost? If some car sales person seduced you with sweet talk, will you believe everything he says and buy whatever he asks? or see the reality and logically reason consequences before jump into his proposal? If you still don't see whom you voted effected this country so bad , but only busy fighting for Republican and Democrats, you deserved to suffer another 4years. Because you are "STUPID" You have to develop your own judgement, not swayed by mainstream media says, or government says. Mainstream media is gone more than 5 years ago, and act like the communist medias: They only report what government order. By the way before you vote for this guy, from now on, check all the magazines, and TV stations, and listen to whenever every media say about something in one voice. then one or two others say something different than the rest, listen both and research and try to figure out what is their hidden intentions and motivation. Weight carefully each other. That's what smart people do. If anyone carefully do that, sooner or later they will start to see who is lying and who is truthful or neutral. As an example, CNN, FOX, MSNBC always watch all three and compare how they report about any same incident. Then you will start to see who are more neutral and who are more indoctrinated. I was shocked how Americans were turned out to be stupid 4 years ago!.I love this nation and from bottom of my heart I wish the best for next four years. By the way, communist always say they share equally? look at the history carefully. Usually poor, radical people deceive people to turn into communist killing educated, riches _( Soviet killed 80million. Chinese killed 90 million), then only the few party members have wealth and power , The rest have no freedom of speech, wealth,religion, but living in dirt poor, worse than before. They never share equally America!. It's just shift of power form have to have-not, but to the few party members only. America Wake! Learn the history, don't be deceived. Socialist's philosophy are same as communist. Coran teaches" If infidels ( Christians and Jews) refuse to be a islam, kill them and deceive them with lies as tactics. If you don't believe me, read Coran-English. Communist and Islams' common tacts: Lies to the enemy!. America Wake up!by the way do you know we can't post in the internet without revealing who we are? where is the freedom? what happened to the constitutional rights for individual privacy?Several liberal bosses are controlling the whole media opinions, that why every media say the same thing except just few. Do you know mr O systematically hires net bloggers & using Facebook & twitters to control public opinion? Who will open their eyes and wake up before too late? my comments are disappearing from the most web site. How about yours? website dealing "Bengazy: bengjazi, bengazi attack...." all related websites are disappearing from this afternoon.Also mainstream media drops my comments.

Romney is a clown, a dangerous clown, but still a clown. He has a short temper, and is used to people following his orders. He will start World War 3 if he's elected. Won't send his kids to die, but he will send yours. Extremely frighting thinking of Romney being in charge of our nuclear arsenal.

Obomination is weak...Any islamic country that gets out of li we should promptly BITCH slap like we have done t other countries that get out of line. Muslics will NEVER efriend the US...EVER.Th sooner we give those pedophile, gay killing women beating muslims a free ride to hell, and shove a missle up mohaummeds ASS the quicker they will run for the cave like cockroaches and mind their own business!

So far he's kept good relations with several countries. He has the highest foreign approval OF ANY SITTING PRESIDENT EVER. (was that loud enough for your hearing aide?) We have not been involved in invading another sovereign nation since he took office. He ended the war in Iraq. He found and authorized the killing of America's greatest enemy.

So far you haven't placed a single fact here that holds true. You just shoot your mouth off about how horrible his foreign policy is without ever giving anyone any reason to actually think so. More blind hate from the old racist people that are now the new minority.

The man is a disaster. I can sort of excuse the american people for putting the man in the oval office once. It took a little digging to turn up his endorsements by Hamas and Communist Party USA back in 2008. It took a bit more to turn up his record in the Illinois and US Senates which ran counter to western civilization when he wasn't just voting "present". I wouldn't expect the average american to be smart enough or engaged enough to do that.

But putting a man with his record back in for a second run is like the tianic with a hole in its hull amp; taking on water, backing up to hit the iceberg a second time. It just defies belief.

Osama, have any words about weak? Being dead, between screwing virgins, you must channel to Republican believers. Please get back to us before November 6. After that, it won't matter. President Obama will be continuing a rational foreign policy, or President Romney will begin to wage war with Russia.

Romney is an idiot. He may know how to get rich by loading a company up with debt, pay himself millions off the top, seizing pensions, which taxpayers have to cover. Gut the company, fire Americans, outsource jobs to China or some third world county.

But he knows nothing about foreign policies. On his "tour" he took he was headlines in their newspapers, calling him a nitwit Mitt. He doesn't think things though, he flies off the handle to fast.

There is NO way this man is ready or even capable of being in control of the US military and our nuclear arsenal. We'd be in a constant state of war or near war which would make our current times look like heaven on earth.

Weakest recovery in US history. 93 cents added to GDP for every buck added to the national debt in his porkulus and he wants more porkulus.

More added to the national debt in 4 years than in 8 under "W".

Our ambassador to Libya tortured amp; sodomized to death before his dead body was dragged through the streets of Benghazi. Egyptian intelligence knew our consulate was to be hit a week before it happened.

Well, Romney did not say what he would different from Obama on foreign policy. Just as he has not given any details of how he would fix anything else. Before Obama, we had 8 years of Bush, a Repbulican. What was his record during that period?

From what I understand, if one wanted to blame the Obama Administration for the attack on the Libya embassy, they could do so but it would be an admission that the administration took out Al Qaeda's #2 which this was reportedly a response to.

Regarding "hope is not a strategy", does anyone else find it precious that in the famous "47 percent" video he actually said there was nothing he could do about peace between Israel and the Palestinians and all you could do was "hope" there would be some resolution?

Republicans are racist dirtbags that deserve to be over populated by latinos and blacks. I enjoy your decent into history. The history books will take note at the teabaggers and republican racists were overrun by the melting pot. You already are a slave. A slave to your ignorant misconceptions about other races and religions. In America the melting pot wins. And jackholes like you lose.

There may be an honest debate to be had on what we should do... but first you have to recognize the FACT that the Obama Administration has been aggressively and effectively decimating AQ. But I guess you're entitled to your fantasy.

One more time. Our embassy was attacked because the leader of the free world either didn't know what egyptian intelligence knew or didn't do anything about it. Then for a week and a half afterwards, said administration kept on repeating an incorrect, but politically expedient narrative the attack was inspired by a youtube video.

Nice title, it shows how objective the writer is right out of the gate. I guess it's hard to do hatchet jobs without the hatchet though, the cost of doing business.

What seems to have escaped the guy who wrote this tp alternative is that Obama has in fact failed to lead the nation and simply does not have a plan for dealing with US foreign interests, this is not Romney's opinion it is the truth. It's not that the Obama Administration hasn't written directives, in fact I know that they have because I've read them myself as they apply to my job. There are lengthy, detailed and sound like reasonable ideas. The problem is that the Obama Administration is unable to take ideas and lead his own government to act on his guidance. That is Romney's point, and ignore it if you would like but the truth is that the proof is in pudding and the pudding is on fire and out of control (the Middle East for one).

Take for example the Bush program to give Cuban doctors a fast track to get into the U.S., it's called the Cuban Medical Professional Parole program. Obama hasn't done away with it, but he has done anything with it either. It is an effective tool used by the Cuban government to evangelize Cuba's interests in other countries and most recently and relevantly in Venezuela where one of these doctors who used the program stated that he was told that it was his job to get Chavez re-elected. So Obama is in a position where he can't get rid of the program for fear of looking like a supporter of Castro and Chavez, he won't use it more effectively for reasons only he can answer and the bottom line is that Chavez won a squeaker and the U.S. is nowhere to be found. How is Obama positioning our foreign interests in South America? The programs are there, the agencies already at work but without U.S. leadership forging relationships and leading the only thing happening is that Cuba and Venezuela are more successful in influencing the region than the United States not because we are being outresourced or outspent, because this Administration is not leading.

I think you meant "now too", but your argument is built upon logical fallacy. Try an honest response that can stand on it's own merit without having to resort to the heavy use use of logical fallacies. When you can come up with one let me know. Cricket time!

Obama went off to a Las Vegas campaign fundraiser the day after our ambassador to libya was tortured and sodomized to death, his body dragged through the streets of Benghazi. Egypt's intelligence knew our consulate in Libya was going to get hit a week before it happened.

The self-appointed "fact-checkers" are not particularly objective. These so-called "fact-checkers" are main-stream media outlets with decidedly left-wing viewpoints. Public has lost all faith in the media and in this day amp; age, the wall street journal is trusted more by americans than any other news outlet. Your beloved "fact-checkers" have no credibility at all.

You believe what you want through the prism of your left wing media bias that's extremely well-known. In fact, trust of the media is lower than it's ever been amp; the Wall Street Journal is more trusted by americans than any other source. NY Times has fallen amp; is no longer trusted.

And I can pull 5 sources from the web that will say that Romney is an alien android out to prepare the US for an invasion from the planet Kolob. Doesn't mean they will have any more validity than your ambassador tortured and sodomized to death story.